Ohio man charged with supporting Al-Qaida

April 12, 2007

Washington, D.C. - A 43-year-old U.S. citizen, Christopher Paul of Columbus, Ohio, is facing charges of providing material support to al Qaeda and plotting to set off bombs in Europe and the United States, according to a federal indictment unsealed in Columbus.

A 43-year-old U.S. citizen, Christopher Paul of Columbus, Ohio, is facing charges of providing material support to al Qaeda and plotting to set off bombs in Europe and the United States, according to a federal indictment unsealed in Columbus.

The targets of the bomb plots allegedly included European tourist resorts where American citizens stayed and a person in the United States whom prosecutors did not name.

The plotting took place between April 1999 and January 2000, according to the three-count indictment.

Prosecutors say that beginning in 1989 Paul provided support to terrorists by his actions as well as helping to train and give equipment towards attacks aimed at people overseas.

Most of the ties the indictment lays out relating to Paul's alleged association with al Qaeda date back to the early to middle 1990s.

Prosecutors allege Paul traveled to Afghanistan and obtained training at an al Qaeda camp in late 1990 or early 1991, and later in 1991 joined the terror group.